Matt #36

Well I wont lie but im a little tired emotionally and physically... haha What a week for me, these past seven days have been a blur and I'm not sure I can really sum up any experience for anyone haha. But first off thank you all for the e-mails. I've read them all and enjoyed every single one of them! :) Its such a good break to sit back and just read about those I love back home and the changes that are happeneing in everyones lifes... First of Kristin thank you for the wonderfull e-mail about Christmas and also about your sister... thats just crazy about Natalie! Please tell her I said congrats from Basil. :) Jenni dont worry I got your e-mail about skype and its all good to go. Love you and dont worry I'll send the imformation somehow this week. Sister Tighe thank you for your update on Hibbard life... I cant tell you how great your e-mails are because they just sum up a normal day in Rexburg and those are the best days. Its good to hear my childhood friends are doing awesome as well thank you. Also rachel thank you for the Mission updates (Those are always way fun to read) Love you :)  Well I cant believe how much its changing back home! Its actually kinda cool to hear about all the things that are happening back home. I miss you all so much especially during the holidays, but Im so proud of the decisons every one if making back home to follow the savior.

        If theres one thing that seems to be changing the most back home its "Marriage" (Holy cow I almost forgot that word in english... werid, in portuguese its "Casamento") anyway out of all the e-mails I get, the most shocking usually do with casamento but they also bring the most happiness to me! While I've been on the Mission my oldest sister Jenni was married and now one of my best friends Lauren and many others... Its such a special time. Its a time when one phase of our life closes and another begins. How awesome is that huh? The reason I'm speaking about marriage is because today I really want to focus on this and also on our families. I know I should be focusing more on the Spirit of Christmas in this e-mail but If everyone took a minute and really thought about it families and Marriage really do have a BIG part in the Spirit of Christmas. This past week I had the chance to go to the São Paulo temple with the whole Mission. We went in the early morning and I was so excited because it has been almost 6 months since the last time I had the oppurtunity to enjoy the Spirit found in the wonderfull walls of the temple. When we arrived I found the young Missionarys from the CTM still there and I had the chance to see and talk with them... I wont lie but it was pretty interesting because they were all in the exact same shoes that I was in just 7 months back. They kept asking questions about the Language and I could also see how nervous they all were. Wow it was just like me.... Then my good Brasilion friend Elder Tavares started asking questions to them in Portuguese and I had the chance to translate for them (Just like other Elders did for me when I was in the CTM) time really is going by fast so fast. Also the Missionarys in the CTM told me Christion bell (The actor who plays Batman) Died in a plane crash but Im not sure what to believe here haha. Anyway I spent a lot of time giving them advice and trying to help out as much as I could. Because I remember how much I needed the advice and help from the older Missionarys and I could tell they really appreciated what I was saying (Some were even taking notes haha) Because of this I was running a little behind and was one of the last Missionarys getting ready to enter the session. They told us they didnt have much room left and only a few more people could enter. As I was entering the sessions someone said "Elder please let me go in to the Session ahead. I really need to go in!" I agreed and allowed this Elder to go in ahead of me and well it ended up being the last seat in the house and I wasnt able to get in. The doors closed and I was left alone not allowed to enter the Session. I was more than a little devested because I was so excited to do a Session the day after my one year anniversary of the temple (Like my incredible Brother mentioned last week) I went back to the dressing room and almost began to cry... Now up to this point I'm sure your all wondering "what does this have to do with family or marriage" but just hold on I'm getting to that part soon haha. So what ended up happening was I was sitting alone in the dressing room wondering what I would do for the next several hours when a temple worker asked if I had the desire to participate on a "family sealing session." At this moment the Spirit filled my heart and I knew this was where the Lord needed me to go. As I entered the sealing room my heart almost exploded with joy and I had the chance to help with this incredible ordinace in the temple... As I was sitting there listening to the names of families that have gone beyond the veil being sealed for all time and eternity together I could just feel their love for one another and their joy for that moment. I than thought of my incredible family and how happy I was to be sealed to them for time and eternity. My love for my family grew in these tender moments and I knew with all my heart that families really can be eternal families forever. :) I also thought of my friends and all those back home who are making the decisions for marriage and for this incredible time in their lifes to be sealed for all time and eternity in the Gospel. Afterwards I had the chance to sit in the celestial room by myself for a long time.... I just cried haha (I'm sorry everyone you always have to read about me crying, Im not getting soft on the Mission just closer to the Spirit) :) haha but I thought about one of the last times I was sitting in this Sacred Room I was with my Twin Brother... I then thought of his incredible description of what the Temple was like for him and when he saw the whole family and friends waiting for him on the other side. It was an incredible feeling and an incredible experince. Even though I didnt have the chance to experince the Blessings found in a Temple Session, the Lord still found an oppurtunity to school and bless me in the ways of Eternal Families and Marriage and the true importance behind all this. In my opinion I received a pretty big blessing that day. One funny thing that happened was right after this I was sitting in the Celestial room alone just thinking about life and a worker walked in and became extremly worried and frustrated. He came up to me looking very worried and said "Elder where is your Companion!?" It didnt even acure to me this whole time that I was A.L.O.N.E. haha it was pretty funny but lucky I was in the temple and in the Celstial Room so I didnt get in to much trouble, but it was still a good thing he mentioned something because the rules are set to keep us safe. :) So he ended up being my Companion until other Missionarys entered! Haha. Overall its was a great session in the Temple but the lesson of eternal Families didnt stop there.... once we returned home we went sraight to the work of preaching. This week has been big partying here in Brasil because they' ve had some big soccer games these past few days. As we were walking to an apointment my companion and I met a little boy and his young Brother. (Maybe around the ages of 6 and 4) They were sitting on the curb holding hands and they were extremly dirty... One began talking to us and I could tell he had some mental problems or learning disabilities but he was very friendly. As we were talking with him we asked if we could share a speciel message with his family. He then pointed to the Bar and said his parents were there if we wanted to talk with them.... I then saw both his parents partying and drinking without a care in the world... or a care for their two very young children sitting on the side of the curb... I walked away more then sad. I thought to myself how can this be Heavenly Father? How can something like this happen in this world? The sad thing is this happens everywhere around the world. We have the responsiblity to be the best Parents and examples to those around us. This is our very important role here on earth. Is to raise families in the Gospel. Everything I'm learning here on the Mission will only help me be a better Husband and Father for my future family. What a blessing the Gospel is in our lifes... Thank you Mom and Dad for your decision to be married in the house of the Lord and to raise a family under the correct Priciples of the Gospel (Namely Love) We have so many blessings in our lifes but we need to take the time to recongnize them. I love you all so much and I'm so gratfull to be here in Brasil. There are so many tender mercies and blessings that we recieve everyday. For example I had another Baptism yesterday with Nayane! :) Dont worry I'll give you the details next week on Skype but it was a pretty speciel Baptism. :) I love this Gospel and I'm sorry I cant sum up all the lessons I learned this past week. I've learned so much. Just remember that I love you all so much and I'm so happy for this Christmas session. I know with all my Heart this Gospel is true and I know that families are eternal. I hope this e-mail makes sense and I hope you all know that I'm still focused on Mission work haha. I'm not thinking about marriage (To much) haha but its a lesson that I really learned about this week. Love you all and I cant wait to see your faces next week!!! AHHHH :) I wonder if you can record the Skype session so we can save it for future use? Love you all and remember always that I'm here for everyone sempre! Love Elder Matthew Ryan Doggett